Connor Jessup, 22, is a Canadian actor, best known for his role as Ben Mason on TNT’s Falling Skies. In 2012, Jessup’s performance in Blackbird earned him a “Rising Star” accolade, and he was later named one of Variety’s “Actors to Watch”. (Getty)

Programming Insider

ON THIS DAY “Dallas” spin-off “Knots Landing” debuted on CBS in 1979. Conceived before “Dallas,” the Eye net’s desire for something “flashier” resulted in “Dallas” first and, ultimately, the spin-off focusing on black sheep son Gary Ewing and his re-bride Valene. Historically, “Knots Landing” is the seventh longest-running scripted drama in the history of television (behind “Gunsmoke,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Lassie,” “ER” and “CSI”)…Celebrity Birthdays: “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf is 70; Season seven “American Idol” winner David Cook is 34; Actor Jonah Hill (“Knocked Up”) is 33.

Did You Know?
Joan Van Ark (Valene) and Ted Shackelford (Gary) appeared together prior to“Knots Landing” in a 1975 episode of “Wonder Woman.” When the serialized drama began, the focus was on four couples living in the Seaview Circle cul-de-sac: Sid (Don Murray) and Karen (Michele Lee), Richard (John Pleshette) and Laura (Constance McCashin), Kenny (James Houghton) and Ginger (Kim Lankford), and new neighbors Gary and Val. Donna Mills as Abby did not join the cast until season two. Don Murray left the series early in season three and was replaced by Kevin Dobson as M. (Mack) Patrick MacKenzie beginning in season four.

Ratings Breakdown:
Oprah Winfrey’s sit-down with our departing First Lady, officially titled “First Lady Michelle Obama Says Goodbye to The White House – An Oprah Winfrey Special,” led this third Monday in December with a 7.1 rating/11 share in the household overnights from 8-9 p.m. Comparatively, this was 61 percent, on average, above the week-ago sitcom combination of “Kevin Can Wait” (4.7/ 7 on Dec. 12) and “Man with a Plan” (4.1/ 6).

Next on CBS were the fall season-ending episodes of sitcoms “Man with a Plan” (#2: 4.3/ 7) and “The Odd Couple” (#2: 3.5/ 6), and drama “Scorpion” (#1: 5.1/ 8) from9-11 p.m. Of positive note for “Scorpion” was the household overnight growth of 46 percent out of “The Odd Couple.” As previously reported, “The Odd Couple” will only produce 13 episodes in this third (and potentially final) season.

For more of the analysis and the breakdown by half-hour for Monday, Dec. 19, click here

A&E Announces New Documentary Series “Generation KKK”
A&E Network will telecast a documentary series focused on the Ku Klux Klan called “Generation KKK.” In “Generation KKK,” cameras follow four prominent Klan families who each have a family member trying to escape the Ku Klux Klan. The logline: This series pulls back the curtain on the organization that the Anti-Defamation League calls “a racist, anti-Semitic movement with a commitment to extreme violence to achieve its goals of racial segregation and white supremacy,” to show its effects on American families as members grapple with the consequences of leaving.

Throughout eight one-hour episodes, the series follows four families: an “Imperial Wizard” who hopes to groom his teenage daughter to take his place; an Iraq war veteran and proud member of the KKK determined to raise his four-year-old son to embrace his views; a young man who sees his close friend and Klan leader as the father he never had, asked to pledge his loyalty to the KKK; and a fifth-generation Klan family struggling to keep up the legacy. The series will also follow a network of anti-hate and peace activists working to break the cycle, by helping to convince members to leave the hate group.

“Generation KKK” debuts on A&E on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 10 p.m. ET.

SERIES RENEWALS AND CANCELLATIONS

USA Renews “Shooter” for Season Two
USA has re-upped drama “Shooter,” starring Ryan Phillippe and Omar Epps, for a second season, with an unconfirmed number of new episodes for 2017. Debuting onNov. 15 and based on the bestselling novel “Point of Impact” by Stephen Hunter and the 2007 Paramount film starring Mark Wahlberg, “Shooter” follows the journey of Bob Lee Swagger (Phillippe), a highly-decorated veteran who is coaxed back into action to prevent a plot to kill the President. When Swagger’s former commanding officer, Isaac Johnson (Epps), solicits his expertise for a clandestine operation, Swagger discovers that he has been framed and must do everything in his power to protect his family and clear his name.

“Shameless” to Return on Showtime for Season Eight
Showtime has greenlit dramedy “Shameless” for an eighth season, with 12 new episodes set to debut in fall 2017. Debuting on Jan. 9, 2011, the series depicts the dysfunctional damily of Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy), a single father of six children. While he spends his days drunk or in search of misadventures, his kids learn to take care of themselves.

As season seven of “Shameless” came to an end on Monday, the Gallaghers dealt with the loss of one of their own, and grappled with mixed feelings about their grief. Fiona (Emmy Rossum) had to once again care for Frank (Macy) in his time of need, while Frank had a new scheme in mind.

TV TIDBITS

Joel McHale to Host “The People’s Choice Awards”
“The Great Indoors” star Joel McHale has been named host of the upcoming “2017 People’s Choice Awards,” which airs live on CBS on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. “The people have spoken, and they want Jimmy Kimmel to host the 2017 Oscars,” joked McHale said in a statement. “And the people have also spoken and said that it would be OK if I hosted the 2017 People’s Choice Awards. Well, one person said that. Luckily, that person was Les Moonves, so no one questioned it.”

Ovation TV Signs Multi-Year Carriage Renewal Agreement with the NCTC
Arts-themed Ovation TV has renewed its distribution agreement with the National Cable Television Cooperative (“NCTC”). Under the terms of the agreement, Ovation TV will be available to NCTC’s member cable systems and their millions of subscribers across the US. The network has been a partner of the NCTC and their members since 1996.

“We are excited to renew our partnership with NCTC and appreciative that the organization and its members recognize the importance of making the only network dedicated to the arts available to their subscribers,” said John Malkin, EVP, Content Distribution, Ovation TV. “High-quality programming like the period drama series “Versailles” makes Ovation an attractive addition to their lineups.”

Ovation TV is currently available in nearly 50 million homes nationwide.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

“Fast N’ Loud” on Discovery, featuring Motor Masterminds Richard Rawlings, Aaron Kaufman and the entire Gas Monkey Garage crew returns for a new season on Monday, Jan. 16, 2017 at 9 p.m. ET. The new season of “Fast N’ Loud” kicks off when Richard and Aaron come across a rare ’55 Chevy. With the Barrett-Jackson Northeast auction on the horizon, the crew must work quickly to turn this beat up car into a hot classic. If they can finish in time, Richard will be able to bring the car to auction and secure a major payout. With the monkeys left back at the garage to work on the build, Aaron takes another run at the notoriously dangerous Pike’s Peak road race and Richard opens a new Gas Monkey Bar and Grill in Key West, Florida.

The sixth edition of “Gotham Comedy Live” returns on AXS TV on Jan. 19 at 10 p.m. ET.. The weekly series highlights some of the nation’s top stand-up comedians, as emerging talent and established favorites take the stage at the Gotham Comedy Club in New York City. Comedy team Cheech & Chong are the first new hosts of the upcoming season, followed by “The Howard stern Show” executive producer Gary Dell’Abate, impressionist Frank Caliendo, Cedric the Entertainer, William Shatner, Paul Rodriguez, Fran Drescher, Pete Davidson, Sherri Shepherd, John Fugelsang, Judy Tenuta, Paula Poundstone and rapper DC Young Fly.

USA drama “Suits” will return with the first of six new episodes on Wednesday, Jan. 25. It picks up immediately following the emotional midseason finale in which Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) said goodbye to Pearson Specter Litt, leaving the struggling firm in the hands of senior partners Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and Louis Litt (Rick Hoffman). As the two come to terms with the new world order, they will rely on the intuition and wit of trusted advisors Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) and Rachel Zane (Meghan Markle) to keep them in check. Finally a free man, Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) discovers the challenges of finding meaningful work as an ex-convict, while Harvey remains determined to bring him back to his rightful home. Will the dream team rule again?

PI POLLS
1. What is your favorite network sitcom of this concluding fall TV season? Click here
2. Ho! Ho! Ho! Which TV family would you most like to spend the holidays with? Click here
3. Good or bad idea? What do you think about CBS eyeing a reboot of “The Honeymooners”? Click here

ON THE AIR TONIGHT
NBC celebrates crooner Tony Bennett’s 90th birthday with a two-hour special. ABC also travels the specials department in “The Year: 2016.” “Scream Queens” concludes for the season (or series) on Fox. For the schedule listings for Tuesday, Dec. 20, click here

The daily trivia question is below “You Might Like.”

You Might Like

TRIVIA CHALLENGE

Holiday Cheer Barone Style

What present did Ray (Ray Romano) get his parents Frank (Peter Boyle) and Marie (Doris Roberts) for Christmas that had their names engraved on it on sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond”?

…Is: c) Art Carney. Originally telecast on Dec. 23, 1960, this episode takes the stereotype of the drunk mall Santa and turns it into something of a Christmas miracle.

When Mr. Corwin (Carney) is fired from his seasonal department store job for being drunk, he confesses that it’s because it helps him imagine that his home in a neighborhood of tenement houses is actually jolly instead of dreadfully sad. Later, when he stumbles home, he finds a sack of presents that automatically gives people the perfect Christmas gift. He’s eventually arrested when an officer thinks he’s stolen the goods, but he proves the bag is magic and continues distributing presents to the neighborhood children until midnight, at which point an elf arrives and takes him to the North Pole.